• Two Africans, originally from Tanzania and Nigeria, residing in Massachusetts, USA, have been convicted of money laundering and fraudulent money acquisition.

Two individuals, originally from Africa and residing in Massachusetts, USA, have been convicted of money laundering and fraudulent money acquisition.

Sunna Sepetu, 37, sister of Wema Sepetu, former Miss Tanzania in 2006, and her partner Nafise Quaye from Nigeria, faced trial before U.S. Attorney Jane E. Young, and their sentencing is slated for July 8, 2024. The maximum penalty they could receive is 20 years behind bars.

They are acuused of involvement in a scheme where they allegedly received $3.2 million from a victim of fraud in Texas between 2013 and 2019. The money was then funneled through bank accounts associated with fictitious companies before being transferred to the head of a financial fraud syndicate, who is still anonymous.

According to a statement from the US Attorney's office in New Hampshire, the defendants knowingly accepted millions of dollars in wire fraud proceeds from a victim in the U.S. and transferred the funds overseas to the perpetrator of the fraud.

US Attorney Jane E. Young asserted, "Between 2013 and 2019, the defendants received approximately $3.2 million from a fraud victim in Texas. These proceeds were sent to bank accounts established by the defendants for various shell companies. The defendants then sent those fraud proceeds to the perpetrator of the fraud operating in Africa, while keeping a portion of the proceeds for themselves."

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Attorney Young further emphasised the seriousness of their actions, pointing out the effects of their involvement in fraudulent activities for several years.

The case sheds light on the persistence of fraudulent networks, with the defendants implicated in such schemes for an extended period. Their conviction underscores the authorities' commitment to combatting financial crimes and holding perpetrators accountable for their actions.

The sentencing scheduled for July will mark the conclusion of legal proceedings, providing closure to a case that exposes the dangers of financial fraud and the consequences awaiting those who engage in such illicit activities.